IT'S So DS OFF The budget and the crash p2 Jackson and the Democratic Party pages 6/7 polls showing increased support for abortion rights.
woman THE fight against David Alton's attack on abortion rights is entering a new stage. The campaign against his bill has successfully drawn together very broad support, particularly among women and in the labour movement. This has been reflected in the mass actions on the streets, the activity in the labour movement and the support for the FAB campaign. The impact of this is revealed in opinion The bill begins its vital committee stage on 23 March. It is in committee that an amendment changing the time limit in the bill to 24 weeks is most likely to come forward. It is also possible that Alton's supporters may mov special rules which allow the committee to meet virtually continuously until it has finished its business. If this were successtully done then the work of the committee could be over quite rapidly. The bill would then only face one further decisive stage before becoming law - its third reading in the House of Commons.
Alton has stated that he will not support an amended bill with a 22 or 24 week limit. However he knows that to be sure of maintaining his existing support he will have to make some concessions. His proposals are to allow ex ceptions to the 18 week limit for certain forms of foetal abnormality which he considers serious enough to justify abortion, and also in cases of rape, but only where the concerned has informed the police. All simply reveals Alton's hypocrisy - he is against all abortion, bu vill play God in determining which women he will allo to have abortions. However, despite the transparent manoeuvring of Alton, these amendments may be suffi cient to secure him a majority at third reading.
The Fight Alton's Bill campaign therefore faces a particularly vital period, which could be as short as a fen weeks, to prepare the campaign for the third reading This time must be taken to maintain the activity of the local groups around the day of action set for 27 April, the 20th anniversary of the implementation of the 1967 abor tion act. A further national action will also be called to coincide with the third reading.
The maximum pressure must be on MPs a the time of the third reading. Above all, it must be brought to bear on the Labour Party and those Labour MPs who did not vote to defend women s rigats In vanuary. well Ain nock's office has recently written to FAB campaigners stating that the party doe not implement a three-line-whip on the abortion issue because of the "personall sensitive issues involved. This gives the lie to those who have claimed that the three-line whip is a purely tactical question, and nothing to do with the 'conscience clause The Labour Party could have stop ped Alton on 22 January, it must do everything to stop Alton at the third reading. The price for failure will not simply be an attack on women's rights but an enormous strengthening of the confidence of the right in society - they will come back for more, and the Labour Party wil sutter as a result
Socialist Action